


Mary, Mary (2008)

by JennyB



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Awkwardness, Community: 30kisses, Declarations Of Love, Flirting, Gen, Realization, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-12
Updated: 2008-03-12
Packaged: 2018-07-12 03:36:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7084018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sanzo learns just how Hakkai's garden grows...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mary, Mary (2008)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LJ community 30kisses, prompt#11 - 'gardenia'

The blond arched a brow at the book he held in his hands. "What the hell is this?" he asked as violet eyes flicked over to the soft-spoken healer.

Goku, who was sitting on the floor working on an assignment he'd been given by the older brunet, glanced up. "It looks like a book," he remarked.

"Baka saru," the monk growled. "I can see that much." He scanned the title. _How Does Your Garden Grow_. Rolling his eyes, he set the tome on his desk and looked back at Hakkai. "What's it for?"

"It's for you," the youkai replied with a cryptic smile.

"Ch. Are you _trying_ to annoy me?" Sanzo demanded.

"No, not particularly," he said as the smile widened. "I just know that you have something of a penchant for gardening, and knowing that the flowers will soon be in bloom, I thought that maybe you might enjoy a little light reading. It contains a lot of very useful information."

There was a snort of impatience. "Whatever." Sanzo had long ago quit trying to figure out the green-eyed healer and his odd quirks. He leaned back in his chair and lit up a cigarette, giving an ambiguous grunt as he set the gift on the corner of his desk and quickly thumbed through the pages.

Hakkai chuckled softly at the other's actions. "You're welcome," he answered. "I have a feeling it just might become a part of your regular rotation."

"If you say so."

"Call it a hunch." The youkai chuckled softly, and then he gave the priest a small smile. "By the way, are you free for dinner tomorrow night? It's been a while since you've been up to the house."

"Dinner?" At that, Goku perked up and was tugging on the blond's sleeve. "Can we go, Sanzo? Can we? Can we please?" Golden eyes were practically begging, and it was all the young boy could do to not salivate all over the monk's robes at the thought of one of Hakkai's meals.

Violet eyes met brilliant green, and with a put-upon sigh, Sanzo shrugged. "Fine…Six?"

The healer gave him a very pleased smile in return. "That would be just fine." With that, he bade the other two good bye, and headed home.

* * *

The next night, as he lay in his bed, Sanzo found himself wide-awake and staring up at the ceiling. The meal had been a very surreal affair. Granted, it had been good, like always, but there was just _something_ about the evening that was niggling at the back of his mind and keeping him from getting to sleep. A part of him wondered if everything was, indeed, fine, and it was he who was being weird. At that thought, the corners of his lips curved down in a scowl. God, he hoped not. Especially considering his very recent and extremely awkward realization that he wanted Hakkai to be more than just a friend to him – a thought that secretly terrified him. As a result, he had been making a concerted effort lately to remain distant and aloof when Hakkai was around to keep himself from doing something stupid and inevitably winding up looking like a giant ass.

With an impatient huff, he threw his blankets off and sat up, reaching for his cigarettes and sparking one up. As he exhaled, he let his eyes fall closed and leaned his head back against the wall. Carefully, he replayed the events in his mind. First, he'd been surprised to find that Gojyo _wouldn't_ be joining them. That in itself had created a whole new dynamic. Without the redhead's idiocy and constant bickering with the saru, he'd found the meal extremely peaceful, and on more than one occasion, he'd had to mentally shake himself because he'd lapse into periods of staring at his host. The meal had been fabulous – over and above what Hakkai usually prepared when they came to eat, and he'd even set a gorgeous table. The brunet had put a linen tablecloth down, and candles, and the centrepiece had consisted of a vase of magenta and white variegated tulips accented with bright fuchsia sweet William. It was a change from the white snapdragons he seemed to favour – an homage to Hakuryu, he had explained once. The conversation had been enjoyable. Hakkai always had interesting perspectives on most subjects, augmenting his points with smartassed comments and pithy observation, and tonight had been no exception. With a frustrated sigh, Sanzo crushed out the heater and lay back down. Turning onto his side, he closed his eyes once more, finally deciding that it was simply the break from the typical routine that was angsting him, and eventually he dropped off to sleep.

When Sanzo awoke the following morning, he made his way down to his office, demanding that a cup of coffee be brought to him as soon as possible. He had about twenty minutes of peace and quiet before Goku found him, the boy sprawling out on the floor with his lessons, some comic books, and myriad snacks to keep him entertained until Hakkai came for his daily visit. The priest was beyond grateful when the healer showed up a little after eleven, though his thanks died on his lips when the brunet set a low vase on the corner of his desk that contained a spray of heliotrope, alstroemeria, and white violets. "What the hell is this?" he demanded, feeling an eerie sense of déjà vu as he spoke the words, and he shot a warning glance at Goku to keep his mouth shut and not state the blatantly obvious.

"Your office was looking a little drab," Hakkai explained. "I thought they were quite pretty, and I wanted you to have them." Another one of those infuriating smiles that said so much without saying anything at all settled on the healer's lips. "Well then, I suppose I'll let you get back to your reading. Goku and I will be going to town for lunch. Can we bring you back anything?"

The blond shook his head, and as he lit a cigarette, he asked, "Not that I care, but what are you going to town for?"

"Well, I noticed that the monks are preparing the gardens for the spring planting. I thought that Goku might like to choose something at the greenhouse for his own garden. I think that learning to care for a plant would be a good exercise for him."

Sanzo stared at him as though he had three heads. He still had a hard time telling when the healer was being serious and when he was just toying with him. "Whatever," he remarked as he finally dropped his gaze back down to his papers. "Just don't get any lilies. I can't stand the smell of them."

Hakkai chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Sanzo was shuffling some papers around on his desk when he accidentally knocked the book Hakkai had bought him onto the floor. _'Ch... 'Light reading' he says. Damned thing is bigger than some of these stupid religious texts,'_ he thought to himself as he leaned over to pick it up. As he did, something on the page caught his eye, and rather than shut it, he set the book on his lap. _'Floriography.'_ Reading silently to himself, he continued, _'Also called 'the language of flowers', floriography was a means of communication used in Victorian times in which flowers or floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken due to the strict morality of the day.'_ His gaze flicked briefly to the vase of flowers on his desk, and then back to the book. _'No...He wasn't...'_ Quickly, he looked up the three varieties in the bouquet he'd just received, and noted that alstroemeria, heliotrope and white violets represented devotion, devotion, and hope respectively. Violet eyes widened slightly, and hurriedly, he closed the book and set it on the corner of his desk. _'Ok, I know Hakkai can be subtle and overly cryptic at times, but sending me messages with **flowers**? Shit, that's a little extreme – even for him.'_ Still, he couldn't help the slight flicker of hope he felt that just maybe, his feelings weren't one sided.

For a moment, he drummed his fingers on the desktop, and then lit up a cigarette. Setting the book in his lap again, he looked up the two flowers from the previous night's meal. _'Grant me one smile and beautiful eyes. Hn...smartass,'_ he thought to himself, but he couldn't help the smile that settled on his face. Leave it to Hakkai to break through his tough exterior to get at his more vulnerable insides. Still, he was a bit apprehensive. It _could_ all just be some wicked coincidence, but the possibility was certainly there. And maybe, just maybe, he was starting to feel a little less self-doubt about the whole thing.

It wasn't long after that that he heard the unmistakable sound of Goku's voice echoing through the temple, and when the two brunets entered his office, he had to grit his teeth to keep from reaching for his harisen. "Must you be so noisy?" he demanded of his charge, though his expression turned a little less severe when he saw the excitement shining in those wide, golden eyes. "I take it Hakkai fed you?"

"Sorry, Sanzo," the boy replied sheepishly, and if possible, his grin widened. "And yeah, he did! We had a lot of fun! He took me for all you can eat barbecue, and then we went to the greenhouse. I picked out a pussy willow bush. Can I plant it in the garden, Sanzo? Can I please?"

"Do what you want," the blond replied. "Just do it quietly." A snort of amusement escaped him when he saw the brilliant smile he received at that. "Tell me, what made you pick that?" he asked as he cast a glance at the green-eyed male.

Goku shrugged. "I dunno. I kinda like how they feel. All soft and velvety like a kitten's paws." Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he asked, "Can we –"

"No."

"But I haven't even asked yet!"

"No. One pet is more than enough trouble for me and this temple. Now drop it."

"God, you're such a grump!" Goku groused as he dropped down to sit on the floor and work through some of his lessons.

The blond ignored the outburst, and after a moment, he turned his attention to Hakkai. "So," he remarked, "is that _all_ you two bought?"

The brunet's gaze briefly moved to the book that sat on the desk, and he gave the priest one of his enigmatic smiles. "No, I chose a nice gardenia plant for your gardens. I noticed you have a large, bare area in that sunny spot in front of the meditation hall, and I thought that a bit of colour and fragrance might make the area a little more aesthetically pleasing." The smile widened slightly when he saw the briefest shift of violet eyes to the desktop. "Goku, I think we've done enough for today. Why don't we continue tomorrow, and for the rest of the afternoon, you and Sanzo can busy yourselves with getting those plants put in the soil."

The boy was extremely thrilled by that idea – not often did he get to spend time outside with his sun – and with a whoop of joy, he hurried off to get his gardening things. "Thanks a lot, Hakkai," the blond grumbled as he lit up another cigarette. "I swear you did that on purpose. You know damned well I hate doing yard work."

"Hn, maybe," the healer replied. "But it's good for the two of you to spend time together, and a bit of fresh air wouldn't kill you either. Probably."

"So what are you now? My therapist?"

"If that's what you'd like, then by all means, I'd be happy to listen to your various troubles. However, I don't think that's really a role well suited to me." He chuckled a little at the scathing look he earned for his cheek. "Alright, Sanzo, I'll be back tomorrow. Have a good evening, and enjoy your time with Goku. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labours." He winked teasingly, and let himself out.

As soon as the tall brunet had left, Sanzo reached for the book, his eyes widening when he read the meaning attributed to gardenias: _Secret love_. A moment later, despite the lamentations from the golden eyed boy about it getting close to sunset, Sanzo was hurriedly flipping through the book and dialling the phone number for the local florist.

* * *

The next morning, Hakkai was surprised by a knock at the door; it was early for visitors. Brow furrowed, he went to answer it, only to have his eyes widen in surprise when he saw a delivery man standing there. "Hello," he greeted.

"Hi," the man replied as he presented the brunet with a vase of white jonquils. "These are for Cho Hakkai."

Hakkai's surprise intensified, but he signed the delivery slip, and gave the man a smile and a tip for his trouble. Practically bursting with curiosity, he set the flowers down on the living room coffee table, and picked up the card. Slipping it from the small envelope, a grin settled on his face as he read, _These say what I don't dare write. –S_ "Took you long enough," he murmured aloud to himself, and then he went to the bookshelf and pulled down an identical volume to the one he'd given the monk. After finding the appropriate page, he pressed a finger to his lips in thought and the grin widened when he read, _Love me; affection returned_.

His expression soft, he carried on with preparing for his day. By nine, he was at the temple, a potted plant containing several large, melon coloured blooms in his hands. He chuckled softly when he saw the freshly planted gardenia and pussy willow flanking the entranceway to the meditation hall, and he made his way down the corridor to the monk's office. When he presented his latest gift to the priest, he just grinned at him.

"What is it?" the blond asked as he brushed his fingers over a delicate petal.

"Gaillardia," Hakkai replied. "As far as I've been able to determine, it doesn't carry any meaning." His grin widened. "You know, sometimes a flower is just a symbol of beauty and nothing more."

Upon hearing that, the blond's heart clenched tightly in his chest as a flash of panic coursed through him. Had he just outed himself to the other for _nothing_? "Is that what all this has been?" he asked a moment later, a twinge of bitterness in his voice. "Just an exercise in aesthetics?"

The healer's expression turned serious and he shook his head. "No. Up until this plant, there was a point. I'm glad to know that it was received, and appreciated." A soft smile settled on his face once more as he gently took the plant from Sanzo and set it on the desk. "I thought you might like to know, though, that this particular variety is called 'Summer's Kiss'." He gave the priest a coy look, and as he reached out and hesitantly brushed his fingers through golden bangs, he added, "Perhaps between the two of us, we might come up with something meaningful on our own?"

For the first time ever, Hakkai saw a genuine, albeit small, smile grace Sanzo's features. "Together? I'd like that very much."


End file.
